Thursday, December 6, 2007

QotD: Fish swim the ocean, birds fly the sky

A fish swims in the ocean, and no matter how far it swims there is no end to the water. A bird flies in the sky, and no matter how far it flies there is no end to the air. However, the fish and the bird have never left their elements. When their activity is large their field is large. When their need is small their field is small. Thus, each of them totally covers its full range, and each of them totally experiences its real. Practice, enlightenment, and people are like this.

- Zen Master Dogen, Moon in a Dewdrop, edited by Kazuaki Tanahashi

NB: Dogen (1200-1253) is the master or masters in my religious tradition. It is when reading quotes like this one that I realize the value of all the meditation I do. I am starting get a peek under the corner of the tent regarding his teachings.

cf.

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